This is a very flavourful recipe from North India, usually
eaten with fried bread like bhatura or puri. I like to serve it over rice for
a very filling meal. You can also try it as a quick snack over toasted bread.
This recipe is much quicker to make if you use precooked canned beans, but
I like to think that the authentic flavour comes from doing it the hard way
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 tea bag
1 bay leaf
2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, sliced
3 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)
1 onion, finely chopped
ground cayenne pepper to taste
1 pinch garam masala (optional)
Directions:
Place the 2 cups water, tea bag, and bay leaf into a pot, and bring water to
a boil.
Reserving about 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, stir the beans into the boiling
water. When beans are heated through, discard the tea bag and bay leaf.
Remove
from heat. Drain the beans, reserving water, and set aside.
Heat 2 teaspoons
oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the sliced onion until tender. Remove
from heat, cool, and mix in the reserved garbanzo beans, 1 tomato, and 1/2 the
cilantro leaves. Set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Blend in the coriander, cumin seeds, ginger, and garlic. Cook and stir for 15
to 20 seconds, until lightly browned.
Mix in the turmeric. Stir the chopped onion
into the skillet, and cook until tender. Mix in the remaining tomatoes. Season
with salt, cayenne pepper, and garam masala.
Bring the tomato liquid to a boil,
and cook about 5 minutes.
Stir in the boiled garbanzo beans, sliced onion mixture,
and enough of the reserved water to attain a thick, gravy-like consistency.
Continue
to cook and stir 5 minutes.
Garnish with the remaining cilantro leaves to serve.
Note:
If you are using dried garbanzo beans, soak them overnight (about 8 hours) and
cook them in boiling water (enough to cover the beans) along with the bay leaf
and tea bag until the beans are soft enough to mash with two fingers but still
hold their shape. Remove the tea bag and bay leaf once the beans are cooked.